Title 22 — Title 22

For the purposes of this code, the Alabama Department of Public Health shall mean the State Committee of Public Health. History: (Act 2024-247, §1.)

Medicaid Agency Generally; Kickbacks, Bribes, Etc.; Exceptions; Multiple Offenses. (a) Any person who, with intent to defraud or deceive, makes, or causes to be made or assists in the preparation of any false statement, representation, or omission of a material fact in any claim …

(a) The Department of Public Health shall establish a comprehensive cardiac arrest survival plan for the training, credentialing, and certification of primary cardiac care providers in the use of semiautomatic external defibrillators based on national guidelines for life- saving …

A mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be present. History: (Act 2006-526, p. 1222, §1.)

(a) State licensure requirements for physicians, chiropractors, optometrists, and dentists in this state shall be granted based on demonstrated skill and academic competence. Licensure approval for physicians, chiropractors, optometrists, and dentists in this state may not be con…

(a) Upon the request of a person medically diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or the guardian or caregiver of the person, the Alabama Department of Public Health shall issue a certification card denoting that the person has been medically diagnosed with autism spectrum diso…

Rulemaking Authority. [Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-561, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings: (1) ADMINISTER. The direct application of an epinephrine …

(a) For the purposes of this section, over-the-counter spectacles means nonprescription, ready-to-wear magnifying spectacles or glasses that contain spherical convex lenses, uniform in each meridian, which are encased in eyeglass frames and intended to ameliorate the symptoms of …

In the administration of and provision of benefits for the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (ALL Kids), the Alabama Department of Public Health, on and after December 31, 2018, shall provide coverage and reimbursement for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the same mann…

In the event that any of the provisions of Title 11 of this Code relating to municipal corporations shall be in conflict with any of the provisions of the general health and quarantine laws of the state, the provisions of such general health and quarantine laws shall prevail. His…

No local board of health or other executive body for the exercise of public health functions other than the county board of health shall be established or exist in any county or municipality. No municipality shall have a municipal health officer or other like officer. No board, b…

In the administration of the public health and quarantine laws of the state, the appointment of all subordinate officers and employees shall be made by the health officer or officers in authority, subject, however, to the approval of the State Board of Health or of a county board…

The State Health Officer shall, under the direction of the State Board of Health and with the approval of the State Personnel Board, fix the salaries of dentists holding graduate degrees or certificates in public health, or who are diplomates of a specialty board established by t…

No public dispensary where communicable diseases are treated or diagnosed shall be conducted or maintained otherwise than in accordance with the regulations provided by the State Board of Health. History: (Acts 1919, No. 658, p. 909; Code 1923, §1113; Code 1940, T. 22, §57.)

If, in the attempt to perform any duty enjoined by any public health law of the State of Alabama or rule or regulation of the State Board of Health, the health or quarantine officer of a county, or his duly authorized representative, shall be forcibly resisted or threatened with …

Any person who violates any of the health or quarantine laws, except those for which a special penalty is prescribed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. History: (Code 1907, §7058; Code 1923, §4360; Code 1940, T. 22, §104.)

Nothing in this title shall be so construed as to amend or repeal any state quarantine law or any local public health or quarantine law applying to a county. Nothing contained in this title shall be construed to repeal any local law regulating nuisances to the public health. Hist…

The State Board of Health is abolished. All powers and duties of the State Board of Health, as those powers and duties exist on September 30, 2024, are conferred upon the State Committee of Public Health created under Section 22-2-4, and the State Committee of Public Health shall…

Care and Council on Health Costs, Administration and Organization - Chairmen; Vacancies; Meetings; Quorum; Compensation. Each such council shall select from among its members, by majority vote, a chairman; and the chairman of each such council, by virtue of his selection as chair…

Subject to the provisions of the merit system, where applicable, the compensation of all employees, agents or subordinate personnel of the State Health Department shall be determined by the State Health Officer with the approval of the State Board of Health. History: (Acts 1935, …

Except as otherwise provided by law, salaries of all employees and the costs of all supplies and other expenses necessary to make operative the provisions of this Code and other statutes administered or enforced by the State Health Department shall be paid by the State Health Dep…

When an expense has been incurred by any health officer, sheriff or bonded constable in the execution of the duties required by the provisions of this Code or other statute relating to public health, said health officer, sheriff or bonded constable, as the case may be, shall have…

Any person who knowingly violates or fails or refuses to obey or comply with any rule or regulation adopted and promulgated by the State Board of Health of this state shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00 …

The State Board of Health shall have authority and jurisdiction: (1) To exercise general control over the enforcement of the laws relating to public health. (2) To investigate the causes, modes or propagation and means of prevention of diseases. (3) To investigate the influence o…

The State Board of Health shall submit to the Governor an annual report of its transactions, in which report recommendations as to needed health legislation may be embodied. History: (Code 1907, §705; Code 1923, §1054; Code 1940, T. 22, §11.)

(a) There is hereby created a State Committee of Public Health which, until May 1, 2025, shall be composed of 12 members of the board of censors of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and the chair of the four councils which are created in Section 22- 2-9. (b) Beginni…

Whenever the words “State Board of Health” are used in this code, the words shall mean the “State Committee of Public Health,” as created in Section 22-2-4. History: (Acts 1973, No. 762, p. 1141, §5; Act 2024-247, §1.)

(a) Meetings of the State Committee of Public Health shall be held monthly. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. Special meetings of the committee may be called by the chair upon 10 days prior written notice to the committee members. (b) The State Committee of Pub…

The State Committee of Public Health and the State Board of Health shall be accountable to the Legislature of Alabama and shall make an annual report to the Legislature. The Legislature, or any committee thereof, may, from time to time, request certain information from the State …

(a) The Governor shall appoint, from a list of names submitted by the State Committee of Public Health, a physician licensed in the State of Alabama to be known as the State Health Officer. The State Committee of Public Health shall fix his or her term of office and salary. The q…

(a) An emergency rule, order, or directive relating to containment or mitigation measures to address a disease outbreak that is generally applicable to the public at large, or to businesses, institutions, or other entities, shall not be effective unless the rule, order, or direct…

Care and Council on Health Costs, Administration and Organization - Creation; Duties; Composition; Appointment and Terms of Members. (a) There are hereby created four councils to be known as: (1) The Council on Dental Health; (2) The Council on Animal and Environmental Health; (3…

The Legislature of Alabama finds that the high cost of pharmaceuticals is a matter of much concern to this state, especially as the cost and utilization of drug therapy continues to rise. Insofar as this rise represents a trend towards drug therapy in lieu of more invasive and ex…

As used in this chapter the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) MULTI-STATE POOLING INITIATIVE. A group of two or more states working together to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals purchased or paid for by those states. (2) PHARMACEUTICAL or DRUG. Any medicinal…

(a) The State Health Officer may develop, maintain, and implement a program and procedures to do the following: (1) Aggregate or negotiate the purchase of pharmaceuticals for pharmaceutical programs for state agencies, as defined herein, or joining a multi-state pooling initiativ…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, pharmaceutical programs as defined herein shall obtain drugs through the program established pursuant to this chapter, unless a particular pharmaceutical program can purchase its pharmaceuticals at a special rate, which …

Negotiations pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of Section 22-2A-3 shall not restrict access to medications required by clients served by the Department of Mental Health. History: (Act 2002-494, p. 1262, §5.)

The Medicaid Agency shall be exempt from this chapter. History: (Act 2002-494, p. 1262, §6.)

All rebates and savings specifically realized shall be deposited in the General Fund of the state. History: (Act 2002-494, p. 1262, §7.)

The boards of censors of county medical societies in affiliation with the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and organized in accordance with the provisions of its constitution, as it now or may hereafter exist, are constituted county boards of health of their respective…

The county commission of each county shall in its discretion be authorized to levy annually a special county tax, being a part of the general county tax of one half of one per centum per annum, in an amount sufficient to establish and maintain a full-time county health officer an…

Each incorporated municipality having a population of 5,000 or more, according to the last federal census, in counties which have provided for a health officer shall provide a sufficient sum of money properly to safeguard the public health and promote sanitation within the corpor…

In all counties or municipalities which have provided, or which have aided in providing, a budget out of which the claims, demands and expenses of the health department shall be paid, then such claims and demands of the health department shall not be a claim against the county or…

It shall be the duty of the county boards of health in their respective counties and subject to the supervision and control of the State Board of Health: (1) To supervise the enforcement of the health laws of the state, including all ordinances or rules and regulations of municip…

In addition to all other authority now granted them by law, county boards of health are hereby authorized to solicit, receive and hold gifts, devises and bequests of money, real estate and other things of value to be used in the support, development and carrying on of their work.…

The county health officer, elected as provided in Section 22-3-2, shall devote all of his time to official work and shall, under no circumstances, engage in private practice. He shall, under the direction of the State Health Officer and the county board of health, have sole direc…

It shall be the duty of the county health officer: (1) To exercise, subject to the advice of the county board of health in accordance with the health laws of the state, general supervision over the sanitary interests of the county; and, should he discover any cause of disease or …

The salary of the county health officer shall be fixed by the appropriate merit system, and shall be payable from funds available to the county for this purpose; provided, that in those counties in which a budget has been provided and agreed upon by the state, county or other con…

The health officer of a county shall enter into bond, with sufficient sureties, payable to the State Health Officer and the judge of probate of the county, in the amount of $10,000.00, with condition for the faithful performance of all such duties as are or may be required of him…

There shall be in each county having no health officer a county quarantine officer, who shall be a licensed physician and who shall be appointed by the State Committee of Public Health on the recommendation of the county board of health, whose tenure of office shall expire on the…